Call to avail Divya Darshan scheme

Chittoor: District Collector PS Pradyumna on Friday said that the government launched the Divya Darshan scheme with an aim to provide free darshan to poor belonging to SC, ST and BCs.

Highlights:

• Collector says 200 devotees from poor will be selected for free darshan of temples
• Divya Darshan scheme is the brainchild of Chandrababu: Mayor K Hemalatha
  

Flagging off the Divya Darshan APSRTC buses here, the Collector said the scheme would be a boon for poor to have a pilgrimage at the cost of government expenditure. Under the scheme, he said in each mandal 200 devotees belonging to SC, ST and BCs would be selected through lottery and would be provided an opportunity to visit the temples.

The Endowments department would execute the scheme in the district and the MROs and MPDOs concerned would select the
beneficiaries, he added.

Pradyumna reiterated that the government was committed to the welfare of poor and downtrodden and introduced a series of welfare schemes for their upliftment. Mayor K Hemalatha said that Divya Darshan scheme was the brainchild of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and added there was a need to improve women participation in the scheme.

MLC B N Rajasimhulu appealed to SC, ST and BC communities to avail the scheme. Endowments Assistant Commissioner Kasthuri said the department would shoulder the responsibility of providing free conveyance, boarding and lodging besides hassle-free darshan and prasadsams in the respective temples to the beneficiaries.

She appealed to devotees to maintain discipline during one-week pilgrimage. Chittoor RDO Kodandarami Reddy was present.